No time limit to add cell phones to Do Not Call registry

Stephen Chernin/APFile imageHUNTSVILLE, AL -- Contrary to e-mail reports, there is no deadline to add a cell phone number to the national Do Not Call registry and there is no such thing as a Do Not Text registry, the Federal Trade Commission says.

A string of e-mails recently circulating on the Internet warned people about a purportedly fast-approaching deadline to register cell phone numbers on the Do Not Call registry for telemarketers.

Mitch Katz, a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission, said Monday the e-mail is not true and there is no deadline.

The current Do Not Call registry is open to all residential and cell phone numbers.

According to the FTC's website, ftc.gov, once a phone number is added, it takes about a month for telemarketing calls to stop.

"You may have received an e-mail telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case," the website reads.

Katz said cell phones can be added to the registry any time.

Similar chain e-mails also warn people about text messages from telemarketers. Katz said that hasn't been an issue yet, and there's no such thing as a Do Not Text list.

There hasn't been a large number of complaints about commercial texting, Katz said, but it is something the FTC would look at "if we get enough consumer complaints."

To register a phone number on the Do Not Call registry, visit donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. There is no expiration for the registry and phone numbers can be removed by contacting the same website or phone number.